Give

POSTAL ADDRESS

Elevation ChurchPO Box 130Layton, UT 84041

WHY GIVE TO ELEVATION?

That is a great (and fair) question for you to ask! Here are the reasons we believe to be most true of giving at Elevation:

Joyful and sacrificial giving of our finances is part of our worship to God. Every resource we find in our hands is God’s and given to us to steward properly. The goal has never been to accrue great personal wealth, but to honor God with everything.

As followers of Jesus, we desire to keep our hearts tied more to Jesus than to money. When we give of our “firsts” or as some say, “first fruits,” we are keeping God number one in our life. Those that have said Elevation is their home church community have agreed to give as a sacrifice of joy. All we have is God’s and we freely give back for the sake of the gospel. Generosity to God is what we hope to demonstrate.

We thank those that have helped us meet our financial budgets and the vision that God has given to Elevation. Please continue to pray for Elevation as we give all we are to follow Jesus.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TITHING

Should giving vary by income?1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Should a broke college student tithe?2 Corinthians 8:1-4 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

What should I do if I cannot afford to tithe?You may need to begin by reorganizing your spending habits with a wise budget. If you are someone with an unusual need (i.e. traumatic injury, impoverished elderly, struggling single mom) then we the church should aid you. We also believe so much in the blessings of God when we give through the grace of God, that we as a church will always challenge others to give to God no matter what. If at any time someone feels that Elevation is simply hungry for money, we would recommend that the giving be done to another God-focused church.

Should non-Christians tithe?The Bible is clear that non-Christians are welcome in church and are not expected to give.

Should I tithe from my gross or net income? (Should I tithe from all total income or only what I take home?)Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops… In our society the government takes a piece of our income before we ever see it (in most cases). The Bible teaches the concept of first fruits, meaning that of all we are given or earn, we should give the first portion back to God.

Can I get a tax deduction for tithing?Yes. If you give in a way that we can record (i.e. check, online or cash in a marked envelope) then our church bookkeeper will keep accurate totals of your giving and send you a receipt at the beginning of the year, certifying the amount of your total contributions that are tax deductible for the previous calendar year.

How can I tithe at Elevation?At Elevation, there are a variety of different ways that a person can tithe. None is better than the others – it is simply a matter of individual conscience or preference. Those methods are: giving envelopes (either place them in the basket that passes during our Gatherings, the giving box, or mail them in) – these envelopes allow for you to give through cash, check, or credit card. Why credit card? We realize that most of us today are using our debit card to pay for purchases as the world becomes a cashless society. We also offer ONLINE giving through our website or eNewsletter.

How much should I tithe?2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Does Elevation have controls for ensuring my contributions are handled safely?Yes. Not only are the monies counted by two people, but a record of giving is kept in two different digital formats and databases. Our workers who count the offerings are not the ones who balance or determine spending. A budget team allocates the monies, while a separate volunteer balances the books, and an independent accountant reviews our records every month.

How much does Elevation tithe?10% currently. We currently give away ten percent of everything that comes in to support other missions projects starting locally, regionally, and then globally. Our goal is to increase this giving with a 4% helping fund for those that need help in our community as well as giving more to local missions in Utah.

TITHING IN THE BIBLE

Tithing – literally means “tenth”, a numerical measurement.

Tithing in the Old Testament

Started with Abraham before the Levitical law was ever introduced.Was basically (but not technically) a law; no punishment found in OT for not tithing to the church. 10% of money given to the church funded the Levite priests’ ministry (Num. 18:21-29, 27:30). 10% paid for festivals to build community & for celebration (Deut. 12:10-11, 12:17-18, 14:22-27). 3.3% of the church tithe was given to help the poor (Deut. 14:28-29).Crop gleanings collected for poor and alien (Lev. 19:9-10). Occasional additional tithes above and beyond regular giving (Neh. 10:32-33). Total “mandatory” OT tithe resulted in over 25% of a family’s gross income.

Tithing in New Testament

Grace centered giving, not law centered.The word “tithe” is rarely used in the NT, only for the rebuke of Pharisees and relating OT stories.The Grace of Giving – 2 Corinthians 8 and 9

Giving is a joy and honor.Giving is a heart issue, there is no standard.Giving should come from your first fruits.Giving should be done regularly, cheerfully and sacrificially.Giving is tied to your proportion of faith.The amount is between you and God.Giving is a spiritual gift – (Rom. 12) some have greater measure of this gift.Giving is coupled with faith.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.